Friday, May 04, 2007

In a nod to my friend, James … all I can say is ... there might be a God.

LOS ANGELES -- A judge sentenced Paris Hilton to 45 days in jail Friday for violating her probation, putting the brakes on the hotel heiress' famous high life.

Hilton, who parlayed her name and relentless partying into worldwide notoriety, must go to jail on June 5 and she will not be allowed any work release, no furloughs, no use of an alternative jail and no electronic monitoring in lieu of jail, Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer ruled after a hearing.

I’m not defending Michael McGee’s comments regarding Charlie Sykes and the death of his mother. Her death was a tragedy and though I have a low regard for the man, he and his family did not deserve what McGee dished out and I do believe condolences should be offered to him and his family.

However, I could not help but continue to be bemused by local conservative bloggers. If they only spent half the time they do following the exploits of Eugene Kane and Michael McGee, there might indeed be world peace and everyone might just get along. Seriously though, the preoccupation shown does cause this blogger to wonder what else is on their agenda. This blogger does know what’s on the agenda of the person who wrote the following comment regarding the McGee flack:

that is the problem the people of that district ie the people who have supported that family all these years are most likely saying "Right on Mr McGee" "Isn't it great how mad he makes those white folks"I am willing to bet in the long run nothing will come from this just due to the fact the people of that district have such low standards when it comes to the people they choose to represent themKeep fighting the good fight but I have a feeling your are trying to sweep back the ocean.

Shades of Jessica McBride’s “thugs” comment. Judging by the grammar used and the low regard he shows for the voters in the 6th District, Chris (of the former Spotted Horse 2) embraces standards similar to McGee’s and McBride’s.

This story about clown-evangelist, Kent Hovind (Dr. Dino), reminded me of Scott Jensen, disgraced former Assembly Speaker, who was convicted of three felonies back in March 2006. Hovind pleaded that the judge’s decision could ruin his life (though earlier in his trial he said he needn’t answer to anyone but God), just as Jensen did. The difference is that in a travesty of justice, Jensen remains free. What is fair about this, especially considering the carnival conviction of Georgia Thompson, who was sent straight away to prison and who was later acquitted of all charges because they were found to be completely without merit?

Hovind (and Jensen) are caricatures for what is conservatism in this country. The ideas of conservatism are but magical mystery tours designed to avert the American public eye from conservative corruption and conservative lust for power. The list of crimes includes illegal wiretapping, removal of habeus corpus, torture, the loss of innocent Iraqi lives, the loss of the lives of 3500+ brave American soldiers, etc. Conservatism's nonsense is further spewed by Goebbels-like talk show hosts that nightly fill the meager minds of the sheep (read conservative knot-heads like Jessica McBride) with gibberish, comfortable in the knowledge that they will blindly continue grazing on their leaves of lies.

Ah, then there is Jessica McBride ... Our very own Eva Braun, a half-wit follower of Bush who spouts childish platitudes in similar fashion to the former German dictator’s luscious dimwit. When she is not race-baiting (did you know that 40% of her most recent posts had to do with minorities ... almost always in a negative light), she's vomiting up crazy ideas like launching a preemptive strike on Iran. Brave talk for someone who won’t have to fight. Let’s inflame the region even more than it is already and likely cause the deaths of countless innocent Iranians (Would they be classified as thugs, I wonder?) in addition to the lost lives of our helpless troops. Helpless, because they only go where ordered, they can’t help that their commander-in-chief is the village idiot.

I’ve tried to avoid saying this previously, but Jessica, please enlist. I’m sure Stars and Stripes could find a position for you.

Kent Hovind, the evangelist who styles himself "Dr. Dino" and runs the Creation Science Evangelism ministry as well as Dinosaur Adventure Land, a small creationist theme park in Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison on January 19, 2007. In November 2006, a federal jury found Hovind guilty of fifty-eight charges, including failing to pay payroll taxes for his employees, structuring financial transactions to avoid reporting requirements, and "corruptly endeavor[ing] to obstruct and impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws" in a number of ways. He was detained in jail until his sentencing, although his wife Jo Hovind, who was found guilty of forty-four charges, was allowed to remain free.

At the sentencing, the Pensacola News-Journal (January 20, 2007) reported, Hovind adopted a meek demeanor, telling the judge, "I stand here in great fear of the power of this court. Your decision can destroy my life, my ministry and my grandchildren." But recordings of his telephone conversations from the jail, played in court, told a different story: Hovind accused the Internal Revenue Service, the judge, and the prosecutor of violating the law in prosecuting him, and referred to unspecified things he could do "to make their lives miserable." In handing down the sentence, the judge explained that Hovind's troubles were due to his "refusing to accept what the law is." In addition to ten years in prison and three years of probation, Hovind's sentence also included paying over $600,000 in restitution to the IRS.

Who was the last evolutionist arrested for bilking people of their money? Hmmm.

Thursday, May 03, 2007

It’s been a couple weeks since the Virginia Tech massacre. I had this thought some time back, but resisted putting it down into words until tonight. No reason, just finally got to it.

Why were the flags at half mast for the victims of this shooting? I’m not insensitive to what happened, it was an awful tragedy. But if we are going to fly flags at half mast for these “heroes,” then using that rationale, why are we not flying flags at half mast for each and every one of those soldiers slain overseas in that lie called the war in Iraq. In fact, why haven’t we been flying flags at half mast for the duration of this god-damned tragedy?

I’m saddened by the loss of life at Virginia Tech. But let’s get real here. Bush ignores the realities of war overseas so as to deflect attention, but recognizes tragedy in our midst because it can be used as ammunition by scumbags like Newt Gingrich to blame liberals.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

I met Mike Mathias (Pundit Nation), James Wigderson (Wigderson Library and Pub) at the Starbucks on 16th and Wisconsin. James got his exercise in early by walking to the wrong Starbucks at 6th and Wisconsin, and then bravely hiking back up Wisconsin to our location. That he made it unscathed says something about goings on east of 124th Street.

Seriously, it was good to see Mike (only the second time in 19 some years) and James (first time in 19 some years). Mike, James and I were contemporaries at UWM. Mike and I wrote together for the UWM Post, while James was involved with the UWM Times, which I think is now defunct, not sure. Though tensions often were high between the opposing political camps at UWM, I’d like to think that Mike, James and I kept it a little more real than some of the others.

Anyway, we made our way to the event and following are some thoughts:

James made it walking up three flights of stairs to the event. Way to go!

I enjoyed meeting Owen Robinson (Boots and Sabers). Owen is a current West Bend resident, which happens to be where I grew up, went to high school, etc. I listened to Owen and was impressed by his speaking ability, and that though he is as partisan as they come, he came down squarely on the side of all bloggers, defending their rights to have a voice. However, his analysis of Eugene Kane was waaaay off. I liked Kane. The first time I ever met him, though I did not have an opportunity to talk with him. I liked him because he was unapologetic and spoke his mind. Apparently speaking ones mind is only relegated to conservative speech according to some conservatives.

I met Dave Casper (Ask Me Later) and Aaron Kreel (Subject To Change), two other conservative bloggers, and liked them immediately. I didn’t get much chance to speak with Dave, but our shared thoughts about Ms McBride are enough to acknowledge him as a kindred spirit, if not ideologically. Aaron is a nice guy. He showed me pictures of his newborn. Very cute kiddo. I wish him the best.

I also saw Phelony Jones (The Confidentials) from a distance. She looked, as she is wont to say, very sassy. Unfortunately for us (or wisely) she left the proceedings early.

I also had brief conversations with Patrick of Badger Blogger, Tom McMahon and Dean Mundy. All pretty decent people … for conservatives (just kidding, guys). I have to agree with Owen on this, I find myself liking a number of conservative bloggers (though I suspect if I had met Fred Dooley, my opinion of him would not change).

Oh, and Brian Fraley (Daily Takes) had nothing to say but tired clichés. He is a wiener.

And Jessica McBride is as annoying in person as she is in print and/or on the radio. She attempted to make a point about blogger diversity by pointing out conservatives were bloggers and … could you believe it, conservative women. Now, this is true, but she followed that up by stressing it this way (paraphrasing) … “can you believe it, a conservative woman” (referring to herself and just herself). Mike Plaisted came over later and said he liked the t-shirts I had made for Ms McBride’s benefit. He then pointed out her silliness (kind way to say she’s an obnoxious b—tch). I agreed, and said I had almost raised my hand to ask her if it was always about her … but in the interest of decorum had decided not to.

Anyway, she’s a wiener, too.

I also was glad to meet the aforementioned Plaisted, Sean Hackbarth (American Mind) and Cory Liebman, whose blog I have admired. I also spoke at length with Bert, a contributor at folkbum. He was ten years a reporter. I didn’t ask where. I should have. And, I got to share a moment with Renee Crawford. I liked her.

All in all, it was a pretty good time and I have to admit, I agreed with Charlie Sykes (just a couple times.)

Lastly, where was dad29? I would really like to have met him. And where was my erstwhile buddy, Chris of Spotted Horse fame? Oh well, one can’t have everything all the time.